Dunta speaks about Returning and the Franchise tag

Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, who has yet to sign a contract and report to training camp, says he is likely to join the team the week the regular season begins, though that could change at any minute.

Robinson declared he would be on the first thing smoking and at practice tomorrow morning if the Texans would agree not to place a franchise tag on him for a second consecutive year.

Id be on the way to the airport while we were talking, and be the first one at the next practice if they did that, Robinson said in a telephone interview from Sarasota, Fla., where he is working out to prepare for the upcoming season.

Robinson said should the negotiations stretch to the end of the preseason he would report and do his best to be ready for the season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13. With a new defensive coordinator (Frank Bush) and a new secondary coach (David Gibbs), Robinson admits that it might not be easy for him to get up to speed.

If it were the same system weve been running, I could be ready to play this Sunday, he said. Im in great shape; better than I was at any point last season. In a way, I dont know how I was even out there late in the season, as weak as me knee and legs were. But I was anxious to get back out there. I had to because I knew the team needed me.

After not being able to come to an agreement on a long-term deal, the Texans placed a franchise tag on Robinson. About the only thing left to negotiate since that point has been whether the team would agree not to place the restrictive tag on him next offseason.

"Its what other teams do and have done, Robinson said. Its what New England did with their best cornerback. Its what Tennessee did with its best defensive player. You can go down the list and thats how a lot of good teams do business. Its what teams do."

Its not a crazy request. Im trying to meet them in the middle, but they wont come halfway. I would have been at all the offseason stuff, and at training camp from Day 1 if they just agreed to that.

The Patriots placed a franchise tag on Asante Samuel before the 2007 season, and agreed to not place it on him the following year. The Titans made a similar deal with Albert Haynesworth last season. Each player left his original team, signing a huge contract as a free agent.

Robinson said though he was upset that Texans general manager Rick Smith went against an early declaration in the negotiations that the team would not franchise him, he understands that the team was trying to sign him at a lesser rate than his perceived value as a free agent.

He said I wasnt a franchise tag-worthy player, Robinson said. If thats the case, then why pay me franchise-level money? And possibly two years in a row? Doesnt make sense to me.

Robinson, who has not talked publicly about the situation since April, would not say how much the Texans offered him long-term. But he noted that the reported $23 million guarantee is almost what the Texans would be forced to pay him for only two seasons of work if he were franchised next year as well.

The franchise tag (the average salary for the five highest paid players at a position) for cornerbacks this season is just under $10 million. That number will almost certainly rise for the 2010 season, possibly to the $11-12 million range. (Per the collective bargaining agreement a player who is franchised twice is due at least a 10-percent raise the second year or the tag level, whichever is highest.)

Robinson is the first player in Texans history to be given the franchise tag.

Its killing me not to be there. My teammates know that, and the Texans front office knows that, Robinson said. Once this is over, they know I will give my all and play my heart out just as I have always done. Im a Texan through and through. They know that too.

Ive planned on being a Texan for my entire career. That doesnt mean I dont want to be paid what I am worth. Whatever happens on the business side, when the season starts, Im going to put it all out there on the field, just like I always have.

23 million in 2 seasons of work + the longterm contract's guaranteed money you'd get before the 3rd season and you're unhappy with those prospects Dunta? His stance is beginning to make less and less sense as the days go by. He's acting like a 2 year old put in time out and won't mend fence just because his wittle feewings got huwwt. Friggin baby.

23 million in 2 seasons of work + the longterm contract's guaranteed money you'd get before the 3rd season and you're unhappy with those prospects Dunta? His stance is beginning to make less and less sense as the days go by. He's acting like a 2 year old put in time out and won't mend fence just because his wittle feewings got huwwt. Friggin baby.

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football players want job security. In a year to year league, wanting a multi-year deal to set yourself up financially isn't selfish. I wouldn't want to be the guy who never gets a big contract, gets tagged repeatedly and discarded. He has proved to me that he is our best cornerback. I'd like him for a longterm deal. I also think the franchise tag screws his life up if he gets injured. I wouldn't take the tag 2 straight years. Thats playing russian roulette with your money for the rest of your life. I think everybody in here throwing stones at him doesn't understand the business nature of this game and doesn't realize how important of a piece he is to our secondary. I wish dunta the best and hope he gets the long term security he wants and the money he deserves, and I hope its with the Texans, because we won't find another Dunta Robinson

It seems like removing the franchise tag is a simple thing. It only protects the Texans if he he plays very well this year and would then command a big free agent contract. If he only plays average, they wouldn't want to pay him $12M anyway. I hope Rick Smith isn't just being stubborn and trying to save face, or worse yet delaying the signing just to send a message.

It was also good to hear Dunta doesn't sound as irrational and spiteful as he's been painted here. He knows he needs to be in camp. He needs to consider pulling the trigger too. He and Smith are both being very stubborn.

football players want job security. In a year to year league, wanting a multi-year deal to set yourself up financially isn't selfish. I wouldn't want to be the guy who never gets a big contract, gets tagged repeatedly and discarded. He has proved to me that he is our best cornerback. I'd like him for a longterm deal. I also think the franchise tag screws his life up if he gets injured. I wouldn't take the tag 2 straight years. Thats playing russian roulette with your money for the rest of your life. I think everybody in here throwing stones at him doesn't understand the business nature of this game and doesn't realize how important of a piece he is to our secondary. I wish dunta the best and hope he gets the long term security he wants and the money he deserves, and I hope its with the Texans, because we won't find another Dunta Robinson

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Can't negotiate long-term anymore. He's locked in at 9 mil a year once he signs that tag, and thats his only option for playing NFL football this season. If I was him I would realize that there's no way out of it this year and save this tantrum for next offseason when the Texans may have to worry about franchising other guys like Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels, & Chester Pitts. Does he realize he's coming off of major knee surgery and needs to re-prove his worth? This isn't 2004 Dunta Robinson, its 2009 post-major knee op Dunta.

Trade him now and get him out of here and sign Chris Mcalister to a two year deal and call it a day no need to waste time on a guy that doesn't want to be in houston we can find players who want to be here with that 10 million.

He's not that great of a CB. With the franchise tag he's overpaid. I don't care what everyone says, he's not worth the money. He might be the best CB on the Texans, but that doesn't mean for a second he's worth it. The Texans don't have a good defensive backfield, CB or Safeties, and just because he's the best CB we got, doesn't mean he's worth what the top corners in the league make.

To me it seems more and more like the team is handling this the wrong way...

Why in the hell would you franchise a guy two years in a row that you think isn't worth a big contract...

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Did the front office tell you they plan on franchising him a second year in a row? Just because the Texans aren't cowering to Dunta's threats doesn't mean they're locked in to franchising him a second year. His performance this year will dictate whether or not he's franchised, signed long term or allowed to walk.

23 million in 2 seasons of work + the longterm contract's guaranteed money you'd get before the 3rd season and you're unhappy with those prospects Dunta? His stance is beginning to make less and less sense as the days go by. He's acting like a 2 year old put in time out and won't mend fence just because his wittle feewings got huwwt. Friggin baby.

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If being tagged two years in a row is so heavily favored toward Dunta, why isn't Smith willing to waive it next year?

Both these guys are being stubborn when it makes perfect sense for either side to give in.

He's not that great of a CB. With the franchise tag he's overpaid. I don't care what everyone says, he's not worth the money. He might be the best CB on the Texans, but that doesn't mean for a second he's worth it. The Texans don't have a good defensive backfield, CB or Safeties, and just because he's the best CB we got, doesn't mean he's worth what the top corners in the league make.

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Same question then - why doesn't Smith just agree to not franchise tag next year?

What I don't understand is why if he wants to play here he is even worried about getting franchised next year. If we want him that bad and he wants to be a Texans his whole career, then surely we would reach an agreement next year. The thing is he doesn't want to be a Texan. He even alluded to being offered close to the 23 mil guaranteed he wanted but still turned it down. I don't remember all the times it has happened but a majority of the time that a player is franchised two years in a row it is because the player does not want to play for that team anymore. They want out.

All this really makes me wonder if we had not franchised Dunta what would have happened. Would any team have been willing to give a player that just came off the injury Dunta had the kind of money Dunta supposedly wants? I really don't think so, and it would have been interesting to see just how much Dunta wants to be a Texan. I would be willing to be we probably offered him more than most teams would have been willing.

To me it seems more and more like the team is handling this the wrong way...

Why in the hell would you franchise a guy two years in a row that you think isn't worth a big contract...

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The franchise tag isn't something as black and white as being over or under paid. It is a way to retain talent and as long as a team has wiggle room under the cap that wouldn't get spent might as well go ahead and use it imo. What I mean is, the Texans would rather go into next season perhaps overpaying Dunta instead of losing him and going into the season with a bunch of cap space that isn't going to do them any good.

To me it seems more and more like the team is handling this the wrong way...

Why in the hell would you franchise a guy two years in a row that you think isn't worth a big contract...

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The thing is that if we believe all the sources on this negotiation, the Texans did offer Dumbta a big contract that he decided to turn down! If he really wants to be a Texan like he says he wants to be, then why does he need the FO to guarantee not to tag him again? If Dumbta was worth as much as he thinks he is, then teams would have gladly gave the Texans a draft pick or two for him, ala Matt Cassel. With the way he's acted, I would be upset with Rick Smith if he caved in to Dumbta. Let him rot. And to think, this guy used to be my favorite Texan.

I have no idea. None. The only thing I can think of is he actually is the best CB we got on our team right now, and losing him is something Rick Smith doesn't want to do, no matter the cost.

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It's crazy. Both sides are making a stand and won't give in. The second franchise tag protects the Texans ONLY if Dunta shows he's worth huge guaranteed money next year. They must think that may happen, since they are essentially reserving the right to pay him $22M for two years.

Did the front office tell you they plan on franchising him a second year in a row? Just because the Texans aren't cowering to Dunta's threats doesn't mean they're locked in to franchising him a second year. His performance this year will dictate whether or not he's franchised, signed long term or allowed to walk.

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That doesn't make any sense. Why would they be locked into franchising him when they have no idea what the future holds...

I think you missed my point which was that they are even leaving the door open for the possibility. If you think that a 23 million dollar offer was being generous or fair, why would you franchise the dude two years in a row paying him that much in two years...

Seems like the team is being especially stubborn, maybe trying to send a message...sorta like law enforcement not negotiating with criminals in hostage situations...

Why continue to franchise a guy? Seems like that only would upset the player and the teams pocketbook...

I dunno, just seems stubborn that they won't agree to not franchise him again when so many teams have done the same thing...

Sank question then - why doesn't Smith just agree to not franchise tag next year?

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Because draft picks are too damn valuable. Only two players have ever got the guarantee that their current team wouldn't tag them two years in a row. In both cases, both players bolted and left the team without any compensation. Hell, Al Davis didn't even offer that type of deal to Nnamdi when the Raiders tagged him, so what makes Dumbta believe Rick Smith should give that type of deal?